How tragic. Poor lady ... in those circumstances I would most likely have done exactly the same thing. On the spur of the moment, we all act instinctively and my instinct would have been to grab my dog.

Do we know if the van driver is OK and the dog? The poor van driver must be traumatised, and I hope is OK and anyone else involved.

Agree Gnasher, poor lady. I have once or twice seen dogs running on the motorway, and we have nearly had a bust up because my OH refused to stop for them - I'm sure he would do if it was one of ours though.
Our dogs travel in a tailgated compartment, but OH does worry about ever needing to get to the spare wheel in an emergency, it only takes a mis-handled moment to end in disaster.

Someone passed me today, with a yorkie loose in the front passenger seat, window wide open. Accident waiting to happen that was. I wish people would think about consequences. All it needed was for it to decide to jump out after my dogs (onlead) and that would have been that

True. I saw something that really annoys me today. We were in Ilkestone, near Derby, picking up our new leather seats for our caravan and we were driving round the Derby ring road to go to Repton. It was all very busy with traffic flying around in all directions. We stopped for some pedestrian lights that had turned red, and there was a woman crossing with 2 labs - one black, one brown. The black one was off lead - WHY?? I don't care how obedient the dog is, how good he is, how he never chases cats, other dogs, whatever - there is always that one time when the dog is unpredictable because of some extreme circumstance and bang - a dead or seriously injured dog, a traumatised driver - maybe even a seriously injured or dead driver - and a bereaved owner. It is just not worth it - I don't care how reliable your dog is, put it on a lead when walking on pavements and roads!